This invention relates to an ethoxylated jojoba oil. It also relates to a method for producing ethoxylated jojoba oil.
Cosmetic and lubricant manufacturers are presently in need of an inexpensive replacement for sperm whale oil in their moisturizing and lubricating compositions. Jojoba oil, which is obtained from the crushed seeds of an evergreen desert shrub found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, has a chemical composition similar to that of sperm oil and it is used in many products as a substitute for sperm oil, such as transmission lubricants, high pressure lubricants, anti-foam agents and cosmetic preparations. It is also used as a substitute for carnauba wax and beeswax. However, the current selling price of jojoba oil prohibits the application of the oil in many products despite the unique properties that the oil has to offer.
Prior to the present invention, it had been known to hydroxylate jojoba oil, and thereby form a slightly more hydrophilic product, through the use of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide via the diepoxide. This process is described in the article by Arnon Shani entitled "Functionalization at the Double-Bond Region of Jojoba Oil, 3. Hydroxylic Derivatives," Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev., 1983, vol. 22, p. 121 -123. The process described by Shani has several problems associated with it. First, the acetic acid used in the process has a strong odor that remains with the hydroxylated product and makes it unsuitable for certain cosmetic uses. Second, the acetic acid does not decompose and must be neutralized or otherwise treated before the acetic acid can be disposed of. Furthermore, the hydroxylated product, while slightly more hydrophilic than jojoba oil, is not truly water soluble.